For those of you new around here, on the Third Tuesday of the month I host a link-up for Oneword365 (people who have chosen a word for the year. Mine is trust and you can read about the year so far: January, February, March, April). If you want to pick a word, it’s never too late. Link-up or comment — any way works!
Congrats to Jennifer who was notified as the winner of one of Emily’s canvases!
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I had seen this street sign pulling into town. When I left town, I was ready with my camera (and even did a U-turn on the empty street to get this photo).
At first I thought, yes, this is the life of trust, is it not?! How perfect to even have a picture for it. The idea of up’s and downs, twists and turns, being scared and exhilarated resonated with trust. And all of that IS true about trust.
Here’s where the metaphor fell short. Roller coasters come with known beginnings, endings, and time frames. And the real kicker – you end just feet from where you started. The main unknown is how long you’re going to have to stand in line to ride, but even that can be gauged when you get to the roller coaster.
This month, with this picture in mind, I’ve been thinking about how much I wish I could tame and control trust and have a few more built-in guarantees and knowns. But that’s not life, that’s an amusement park ride.
Trust is being willing to leave the confines of the amusement park and go rafting down the Grand Canyon of life.
I just removed two paragraphs about an upcoming opportunity that is no longer an opportunity.Talk about seeing why God led me to the word and intentional life of “trust”. Hi God, again, I would have preferred “fun” or “movies” :). But trust it is.
That’s what I love about out small community here at The Messy Middle, you too are drawn to living this life of following rivers, going to new territory, and not just getting on the same ride over and over, ending up where you started.
What’s going on with you and trust? What amusement park rides do you like?
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The year with trust … thus far:
January whispered trust uses both hands. She holds the present in one hand and the long view in the other.
February joined in with trust can build a bridge others walk on.
March offered a legal life lesson. Trust doesn’t happen in a vacuum; ultimately trust is about relationships, valuables, and legacy.
April (with taxes) reminded me we all have trust triggers and mine is money.
May showed me trust is more like rafting than riding a roller coaster.
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JUST TO KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES
The next linkup will be on the third THURSDAY of June (I’ll be out of town on Tuesday) — I trust you’ll be able to roll with this :)
Here’s the deal for the link-up:
- Every third Tuesday I’ll host a link up. Trust + Tuesday + Third = three T’s and I don’t have to mark my calendar with different dates! Just remember TTT. The next one will be on June 19th and you can get more details here. The link up will be open for one week, after one week, you’ll need to wait until the next month.
- Please link back the link-up, either by using the Trusting Tuesday picture or simply a text link.
- I’ve also started a Pinterest Oneword365 board and want it to be a community board (meaning let’s have our Oneword365 posts all in one place!). Check it out!
- If you miss a month, don’t beat yourself up. This will go on for the next twelve months and isn’t meant to overload you or make you feel guilty. We’re going to be a group of cheerleaders.
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On the same journey of trust with the Father. Some days good , most days not. Trust is the word he has been giving me lately especially in regards to finances. Your Trusting Tuesdays have been encouraging. Thanks Amy!
Finally linking up for one word, Amy. I love this idea of a monthly check-in. It helps keep things much more intentional. Trust, yes, I wrote a lot about that last year and I’m still facing a growing edge in that area. I recently started reading Sue Monk Kidd’s book, When the Heart Waits, her chapter on Waiting really resonated with me.
I love the street sign and the way it tells it all in only a few words if we are willing to open our eyes and ears! You have filled me with much to ponder, Amy. So grateful I linked up this month. May the LORD continue to bless your ministry.
Oh, I wish we could see a distinct beginning, middle, and end of our roller coaster rides in real life too! Sorry your opportunity fell through.
“Trust” is such a great one word. I haven’t been brave enough to choose it yet. ;-) I chose “compassion” this year and it’s been enough of a ride all its own. ha. I’ve been posting once a month about my word but forgetting to link up anywhere. I’ll have to mark my calendar so I’ll remember….
I like the way you have played with the rollercoaster image. I never go on them in fact I hate them! So I get a real sense of the scariness and the unknown. But you are so right that there is much more to it than that. Trusting and moving on mean having to accept that I will be changed. I have to move into the unknown and become more fully me and I don’t yet know that version of myself!
And as others have said, thanks for doing this. I would have forgotten about my word by now if it weren’t for this monthly reflection. You have created something that is helping me along.
Juliet, I appreciate this comment so much. More than you realize. I have wondered if this monthly link-up is helpful to anyone but me (and have decided that even if it is “only” me it’s for, it’s still worth it.). But to know it’s helped you … helped me :). Love it when that happens!
Trust…such a simple word…such a complex concept…
As Christians, we often speak of trust, faith, and belief as though they are so easy…so simple…and in a sense they are…
Yet there is so much more than what can be seen on the surface. Yes, we begin the journey in child-like trusting faith…then we stumble a bit…experience evils we didn’t know existed…and respond in disillusionment withdrawing our trust.
Over time, we come to realize maybe our trust was misplaced…perhaps it wasn’t that we were wrong to trust, but we should have reserved our trust for someone truly trustworthy. Or perhaps we were trusting in the right person but with the wrong expectations.
At some point, we begin to realize that our Heavenly Father has continued to love us through all the doubt and pain…and we realize that here indeed is something we can trust…our Father’s love and faithfulness.
I like your roller coaster analogy. I think that’s often how we mistakenly view trust. We’re trusting with the expectation that we have a pretty good idea where the journey will take us and how to handle the difficulties along the way. Once aboard, though, we discover the car doesn’t stay on any rails or follow any route we anticipated…
Thanks for sharing! Obviously, thought-provoking! :-)
Joe, I’m really glad I popped over to your site yesterday and read your post on “God’s Beloved Misfit” — you know I like that book and that concept (from the comment I left :)).
I really enjoyed reading this comment too! and appreciate the imagery of starting off with trust looking more child-like and over time and with experiences seeing the ways in which it grows depth and teeth and substance. I look forward to future insights you have to offer!